Sajjainn
by Otterhare
Summary: A tribe of savage rabbit (yep, rAbBiT) warriors find their way into Mossflower Country. Can they stop Randangza Steelclaws?
1.

"Sajjainn!" The name was whispered fearfully through the frightened ranks of vermin.  
"Sajjainn!" Faster than the winter's gale and wilder than the roaring tempest.  
"Sajjainn!" They had come to Mossflower.  
  
~*~  
Twyst sat on the clifftop, scanning the valley below for any foe. The rabbit's face and limbs were decorated with many patterns of blue and red face paint. Sajjainn, the fearsome tribe of wild rabbits and hares was like her family. They roved the lands, wreaking havoc upon the unlucky vermin who cross their path. Nobeast argues with a Sajjainn and lives. Her leaders were Sandsliver and Lyght.  
A movement among the bushes snapped her out of her dreams. She noted the position of the movement and slid silently down the other side of the cliff. Sprinting through the forest, she made her way to the concealed camp of the tribe of Sajjainn. Twyst skidded to a halt in front of the two Chieftains.  
"Movement in th' shrubs beneath the cliff." She said, breathing calmly. "Permission to investigate?"  
"Permission granted, Twyst. Bring two others with ye." Lyght, the rabbit chieftain replied.  
"An' a hare. Ye might need some arrers ta get th' target." Sandsliver, the hare chief added.  
"Alright, Chiefs. I'm on me way!" Twyst hopped nimbly among the forms of her comrades. She woke Sylver, Paynt and Raindance. The three rabbits and the hare dogtrotted towards the shrubs. They drew jagged curved swords and got ready to jump. Suddenly, a flash of brown hurtled out of the bush, followed by a fox. Not noticing the long-eared investigators, the fox kicked at the small squirrel curled up at its paws. The squirrel was chained around the neck and paws, but still growled fiercely at the fox.  
"You had no right to imprison me, fox! Let me go before I attack you!"  
The rabbits silently circled the fox as the hare crept next to the squirrel. Like a flash, the rabbits were on the fox.  
"SAAAANNNNJJJJJJJJJAAAAAIIIIIINNNNN!"  
Raindance the hare used her keen blade to break the chains as Twyst, Sylver and Paynt tackled the fox.  
"I-I-I'm not d-d-doin' anythin' t-t-ter this sq-sq-squirrel! 'E attacked m-m-me at n-n-night an-an' almost slayed me!"  
"That's not true, ye scum! Th' squirrel wos only wanderin' these woodlands, an' ye attacked 'im and chained 'im up!" Twyst snarled into his face.  
"If ye don't get gone afore I count ter five, ye're a deadbeast!" Sylver said, growling. All three rabbits fitted stones to their slings as Raindance nocked an arrow to her bow. "We don't usually let scum like ye live, but ye go tell all yer scummy friends that th' Sajjainn are here!"  
With three blades at his throat, the fox did not argue. He had disappeared into the distance before Sylver could count to three. Twyst yelled at his receding form.  
"G'on! Raise th' alarm scum! SAJJAAAAIIIINNNN!"  
The squirrel looked up with admiration. "Thank you friends. My name is Redoak. My mother, Whitlark, is the warrior of Redwall and will be pleased t'see you."  
Twyst smiled at the young beast that spoke well. "Why, ain't ye th' smart 'un? Come, we'll go t' camp. Ye can 'ave vittles if ye wants."  
Raindance lifted the squirrel onto her shoulders, and the foursome trekked to camp.  
~*~  
Far away, Randangza and his horde of black vermin were making their way to Mossflower.  
"We make camp here, my black ones. Polish your weapons, make ready your armour, we will conquer and slay for plunder and treasures tomorrow!"  
There was an ear-splitting roar that arose from the vast horde. They stamped their feet and howled at the sky, acknowledging their master. Soon, the vermin tents were put up and fires were smoldering in the center of the camp. The wildcat leader grinned joyfully. Plunder was to be had!  
  
~*~  
  
"You're rabbits?!" Redoak exclaimed with surprise. "But you're not prissy or way too polite! Yore not anythin' like th' rabbits here in Mossflower!"  
"We're not all rabbits, young 'un, some o' us are hares. You're right, though, we aren't like yore soft woodland rabbits. We're wild, all right, an' taught in the ways o' battle." Twyst stared into the fire.  
"Wow! I'll show you to Redwall t'morrow, you'll discover wot feast really means!"  
~*~  
  
  
She is free. 


	2. 

Everybeast in the Sajjainn camp started packing up. Tents were folded, poles were tied into bundles and the last of the food was scoffed.   
"How far ta Redwall, mate?" Raindance asked the little squirrel.  
"About a weeks march from here, if you're quick." Redoak munched his honeyed scone as he pointed in the direction they would have to take.  
Soon, the tribe was on the move. Each was freshly painted with their strange markings, and they carried large bags with their supplies. Redoak was in the lead, swinging from tree to tree.   
A small stream gurgled nearby and bright sunlight lanced down through the treetops. Specks of dust dances in the still air as butterflies fluttered to and fro.  
Suddenly, as Redoak rounded the bend, he yelled loudly and dissappeared from view. 


	3. 

Twyst rushed to Redoak's rescue. There was a band of tenscore foxes, each carrying a light spear and a short dagger. A big one was standing over the young squirrel, who was clubbed into unconciousness and bound tightly with animal sinew. The big fox had strange eyes, one blue and the other brown.  
  
"Who are ye?" Twyst shouted, her jagged blade drawn.  
  
"None other than Rakayah Earthsky, ruler of these lands. An' yew must be th' fearsome Sajjainn tribe, my slaver has told me all about you." The fox with the strange eyes drew her short dagger and uncoiled a sinew whip from around his shoulders. She gave it an experimental swish, making it sound like a crack of thunder.  
  
"Earthsky, are ye? Well, I be Lyght, rabbit cheiftain of the tribe. Take me on, Earthsky!" The wiry rabbit stepped out from the shadows, flexing his hard muscles.  
  
"So yon bunny rabbit has come ter fight, has he? Haha, an' I suppose ye'll be goin' down your little burrow a'ter this whippin' has ended, eh?" Rakayah smiled, showing blue-dyed teeth. "Let yon battle begin!"  
  
Lyght drew his jagged blade and thrusted at the fox's stomach, only to be met by a block from the dagger. The rest of the Sajjainn, who numbered threescore, hurled themselves onto the opponent, yelling their blood-chilling warcry. The crisp autumn breeze swirled around them, the cold numbing each of their paws.  
  
"Sajjaaaaaiinnn!" 


	4. 

Lyght circled his opponent, his curved blade darting to and fro. Rakayah's whip cracked and caught his footpaws, and the rabbit tripped and stumbled. As the big fox advanced, he leapt to his feet and sliced at her throat. She jumped backwards and flailed her sinew whip, catching the rabbit on his shoulders. Lyght made as if to turn, then twisted suddenly and lunged at Rakayah, his sword digging deep into her thigh.  
  
The battle raged on for many hours, but the other foxes were defeated by the tribe, either wounded or cowering. Rakayah cracked her whip once more, then sped off into the surrounding woodlands, calling over her shoulder. "We'll meet again, rabbit, but wi' a bigger army, more experienced too!"  
  
Twyst sat down, exhausted. The autumn wind had frozen her paws to her blade; she could not let go. Sandsliver, who had been using her bow instead of her sword, ran over to help the frozen rabbit, rubbing life back into her paws. Twyst sheathed her sword and smiled. "Thankee, Sandsliver. Wot'll we be doin' now?"  
  
Lyght overheard her question from his position untying Redoak. "We'll be a-goin' wi' our original plans, missie. But not only teh taste those splendid vittles those Redwall folk 'ave, but also teh alert 'em."  
  
"Aye, that we will, I hope!" Redoak had awakened properly, shaking his limbs to get the feeling back into them. The young squirrel stood up, smiling. "D'ye, by any chance, have a blade on ye? I think I'll need it."  
  
Sandsliver smiled, taking a Sajaiinn sword out of her large haversack. "I allus keep one fer any new members o' our tribe. Ye can have this 'un. Wait." She dipped the tip of a thin needle into a fire that she had built to warm up everybeast's paws. She then engraved Redoak's name into the wooden handle of the sword with the heated point. "Ye will allus be one o' us, Redoak."  
  
"Thank ye, Sandsliver, for th' blade. An' thankee all, fer comin' to me rescue!" Redoak grinned and waved his new weapon. "SAJAAAAAAIINNN! REDWAAAAALL!"  
  
Everbeast within ten leagues would have thought madbeasts were charging through the forest. The rest of the Sajaiinn took up the wild cry, making the very ground reverberate and the trunks of the trees quiver.   
  
"SAJAAAAAAAAAAAAIINNN! REDWAAAAAAAAAAAAALLL!"  
  
Suddenly, the call was answered, quite faintly. "EULALIAAAAA! EULALIAAAAAAAAAA!" A group of hares, a branch of the famous Long Patrol, came into view.  
  
"Ah, th' Long Patrol, I knew they were around 'ere somewheres!" Sandsliver grinned widely and waved. "'Tis General Campionfleet! Hullo there!!"  
  
The hare smiled back, his long sabre waving in a salute. "Sandsliver, ol' chappess! Nice ta see ye agin, wot wot!" General Campionfleet, or just Campion, as he liked to be called, turned to his troops. "Right! Order in th' ranks there! No talking, laddie buck, or back ta Salamandastron ye'll go, wot wot! Hoi, Shing, steady in th' ranks there, lassie! Now, march! Hup, two, three, four..." The patrol, who numbered a twenty, sped forth like a well-oiled machine. As they reached the Sajaiinn tribe, greetings were made cheerfully and introductions were being shouted out over the din.  
  
"Hey, Raindance! 'S that ye? You've grown so bally much, wot wot!"  
  
"Yes, I eat lots o' veggibles, Major Willow, marm!"  
  
"Why, Campion, back teh yore ol' campaignin' business, I see!"  
  
"Right y'are, Lyght!"  
  
"Tarrane, ye say? I'm yore cousin, twice removed from yore granny's side!"  
  
"Really, Clyff? That's absoballylutely fantabulous, wot wot!"  
  
Both the Long Patrol and the Sajaiinn settled down and made camp, the moon shining bright in the sky like a gold medallion. Twyst tossed uncomfortably in her sleep, dreaming a jumbled-up mess including a great mountain, a red abbey and many hares, rabbits and strong-looking mice. She saw many things that would happen in the future, but did not recall it until later...  
  
~*~  
  
Randangza's horde was getting closer, not stopping for anything. The frenzied vermin could only see Mossflower, their goal, and the slaughter that they would inflict.   
  
Randangza was getting closer! 


	5. 

Randangza Steelclaws cut an impressive figure. He was large and powerful, even for a wildcat. Randangza was unique--instead of leading his horde from the back, he fought alongside of them, cunning and bold. Half his face was tattooed with strange silver markings, and the other half was pure black, like the rest of his body. His stripes and the bands on his tail were a shimmering grey. Randangza's claws were coated with hard steel, and served as a weapon for him, aside from his wicked cutlass. A crimson cloak swirled behind him as he stalked about the camp, his spiked helmet glinting dully in the sunlight.   
"Trattak, what's the report for today?" He demanded, digging his namesake steel claws into a weasel's shoulder.  
"Our trackers 'ave spotted a goodbeast camp, though they've gone long ago, chief. Almost a week old, were th' remenants. Are yew gunna track 'em?" Trattak bit into his roasted sparrow carcass.  
Randangza's claws dug deeper into the weasel, who was dyed black like the rest of the horde, as he kicked the autumn loam at the Trattak's face. "I wasn't asking fer yore opinion, fool! A week old camp, is that it?"  
Trattak nodded miserably.  
"Hmm, we could track them, then slay them. How many are they?"  
"Er, er, ask Verang. She knows, she's the chief o' the trackers!" Trattak pointed at the vixen, who was throwing some twigs onto her fire.  
Randangza released the whimpering weasel and strode off towards the vixen. Verang smiled.  
"A score and nine, Milord. Mostly rabbits an' hares, but there's a squirrel, a little over ten seasons old." The vixen said, without looking at Randangza.  
"Good, good. We shall have no trouble." The wildcat turned on his heel, and was about to stalk off before Verang interrupted him.  
"But they are the ledgendary Sajjainn tribe, Randangza. Be wary." The vixen turned her one good eye toward him.  
"Nobeast has defeated The Black Ones. I'm not afraid o' any tribe, ledgendary or not!" He walked off to check on his horde.   
Verang shook her head, throwing another twig into the fire. She knew that her leader was not short of cunning or courage, but this Sajjainn tribe was something to be reckoned with. That was how the vixen had lost her eye.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Twyst could see the spire of Redwall Abbey in the distance. It loomed above her, red and majestic. Raindance smiled, nudging her friend in the ribs.  
"Jus' another day 'till we get there, Twyst!"  
Sandsliver grinned as he caught up with them. "Phew! Ye cut a quick pace, missies. The food itself at Redwall is ledgendary, not to mention the abbey itself. I'll bet ye can't wait!"  
"No sir!" The pair beamed back, straining to see his face in the night.  
"Well, that's good. 'Twill make marching quicker fer ye. We'll make camp 'ere fer tonight. Two sentries per shift. Raindance an' Clyff, yore firs', then get Twyst and Sylver." Lyght came up behind them, dropping his haversack onto the ground. Unpacking some stuff, he laid down his blanket and groundsheet, falling asleep instantly, holding his sword. Soon, the whole camp was slumbering, except for the two sentries  
Amongst the foilage, something moved.  
  
She is free. 


	6. 

A/N: O.o Just noticed the "she is free" part at the end of the previous chapter. IGNORE THAT! It appeared 'cos I pasted the text of that chapter over a poem I just composed, and all of it didn't delete. XP  
  
Randangza tossed in his sleep. A spectral figure loomed in the realm of dreams, pointing an impressive sword at the wildcat.  
  
"Evil begone,  
Turn and flee,  
For good will triumph.  
Flee, evil one, flee from me!"  
  
The figure's cold eyes bored into the wildcat. Randangza drew his cutlass and slashed at the mouse, but it had dissappeared, leaving the warlord mystified.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The sentry, who was called Wynd, drew her curved blade and advanced silently. Wynd parted the bushes and found a small weaselbabe, shivering in the chilly autumn wind. The hare took pity on the small animal and picked it up, bringing it back to the camp.  
  
Dawn crept up the sky on rosy paws, showing its bright face from behind the distant mountains. The whole camp was fully awake, and they were moving on already. Redoak smiled at Wynd, and patted the weaselbabe on the head. It squeaked and pawed at Redoak's nose with a tiny claw. The squirrel laughed.  
  
They reached Redwall's main gate. Redoak rapped on the door with his new blade, as Sandsliver thumped it with her big paw. The doors swung open a crack, and they were confronted with a tough looking squirrel who had shining blue eyes. Strapped on her back was the magnificent sword of Redwall, which recieved many admiring glances from the tribe.  
  
"Hello there, travelers. Me name's Whitlark!" Whitlark suddenly cried out with joy. "Oh Redoak! Yore home! Thank the fates!"  
  
Redoak smiled as his mother led the tribe in. "Ye picked a good time to arrive, travelers, for 'tis the Autumn feast! I hopes ye can join us."  
  
"O' course!" Sandsliver, ever the hare, dashed forth and gazed at the food. 


End file.
